Be prepared for interruptions: EEG correlates of anticipation when dealing with task interruptions and the role of aging

Be prepared for interruptions: EEG correlates of anticipation when dealing with task interruptions and the role of aging

Dealing with task interruptions requires the flexible use of working memory and attentional control mechanisms, which are prone to age-related changes. We investigated effects of age on dealing with task interruptions and potential advantages of anticipating an interruption using EEG and a retrospec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 5679
Main Authors: Ülkü, Soner, Getzmann, Stephan, Wascher, Edmund, Schneider, Daniel
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 07-03-2024
Nature Publishing Group
Nature Portfolio
Subjects:
631/378
631/378/1595/1636
631/378/1595/1637
631/378/2612
631/378/2649/1310
631/378/2649/2150
631/477
631/477/2811
Age
Aged
Aging
Aging - physiology
Anticipation
Attention task
Cognition & reasoning
Cues
EEG
Electroencephalography
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Memory
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Mental task performance
multidisciplinary
Older people
Orientation behavior
Retrospective Studies
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Selective attention
Task interruptions
Working memory
Aging
Selective attention
Task interruptions
Anticipation
Working memory
EEG
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Summary:Dealing with task interruptions requires the flexible use of working memory and attentional control mechanisms, which are prone to age-related changes. We investigated effects of age on dealing with task interruptions and potential advantages of anticipating an interruption using EEG and a retrospective cueing (retro-cue) paradigm. Thirty-two young (18–30 years) and 28 older (55–70 years) participants performed a visual working memory task, where they had to report the orientation of a target following a retro-cue. Within blocks of 10 trials, they were always, never, or randomly interrupted with an arithmetic task before the onset of the retro-cue. The interruption-induced decline in primary task performance was more pronounced in older participants, while only these benefited from anticipation. The EEG analysis revealed reduced theta and alpha/beta response to the retro-cue following interruptions, especially for the older participants. In both groups, anticipated interruptions were associated with increased theta and alpha/beta power prior and during the interruption, and stronger beta suppression to the retro-cue. The results indicate that interruptions impede the refocusing of attention on the task-relevant representation of the primary task, especially in older people, while anticipation facilitates preparation for the interruption task and resumption of the primary task.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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content type line 23
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-56400-y